Category Archives: smritam

Bhagavad Gita Verse 38, Chapter 18

26 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.38, agre, amritopamam, chapter 18 verse 38, parinaame, raajasam, smritam, sukham, visham

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vishayendriyasamyoogaadyattadagremritopamam |
parinaame vishamiva tatsukham raajasam smritam || 38 ||
 
That which comes from the contact of senses with their objects, which is like nectar initially, but like poison in its result, that joy is called raajasic.
 
vishayeindriyasamyoogaat : from contact of senses with objects
yat : that which
tat : that
agre : initially
amritopamam : like nectar
parinaame : in its result
visham : poison
iva : like
tat : that
sukham : joy
raajasam : raajasic
smritam : is called
 
When we see a movie, we have the option of watching it in 3D or 3D IMAX. Everyone has a cellphone with a built in music player. Perfumes are available for any budget. Innumerable options make buying clothes a nightmare. International cuisine is available in most major cities. We are truly living in the age of sensory overload. It is hard to imagine a situation, except deep sleep, where we are not exposed to some sensory indulgence.
 
What is behind all of this? Sensory excitement is mistaken for joy in our world. Shri Krishna says that such sensory indulgence generates some temporary excitement in the beginning, but results in fatigue, or worse still, ill health, in the end. In his commentary, Shri Shankaraachaarya describes the effects of sensory indulgence. It leads to decline in strength, vitality, colour, wisdom, intellect, memory, wealth and most importantly, energy. Whenever there is sense contact beyond what is needed to sustain the body, our energy reserves are depleted.
 
Therefore, we need to stop giving such a lot of importance to sense objects and sense indulgence. The body will have a biological urge such as thirst, which can easily be quenched by water. But our mind craves for a soft drink instead of water, because it has associated the idea of joy with that soft drink. Such superimposition of joy on inert objects is called shobhana adhyaasa. Whenever such thoughts arise, we should counter them with sattvic thoughts of good health, fitness and wellness.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 21, Chapter 17

11 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in 17.21, chapter 17 verse 21, daanam, deeyate, pariklishtam, phalam, pratyupakaaraartham, punaha, raajasam, smritam, uddishya, vaa

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yattu pratyupakaaraartham phalamuddishya vaa punaha |
deeyate cha pariklishtam taddaanam raajasam smritam || 21 ||
 
And that which is donated for repaying an obligation, or with the intent of a reward, and also reluctantly, that charity is called raajasic.
 
yat : that which
tu : and
pratyupakaaraartham : for repaying an obligation
phalam : reward
uddishya : intent
vaa : or
punaha : also
deeyate : donated
cha : and
pariklishtam : reluctantly
tat : that
daanam : charity
raajasam : raajasic
smritam : is called
 
Let me give something to this politician’s charitable organization, so that at a later stage I will be able to use him to further my business. Let me give something to this doctor’s son on his birthday, so that I will be taken care of in a medical emergency. Let me give a new year gift to to my neighbour, so that he will come to my aid if I am in trouble and so on. In all these thoughts, a tinge of selfishness has crept in. Shri Krishna says that the giving of charity, and gifts in general, while expecting something in return, is raajasic charity.
 
Furthermore, charity is also performed to repay a favour or an obligation to someone else. This is referred to as “pratyupkaara” in the shloka. For instance, repaying a favour with cash sometimes is frowned upon socially. We may then think about repaying the favour through a charitable donation or a gift in kind. Such charity is also considered raajasic, because a business mindset, a transaction oriented mindset has come into the picture. We are not really performing charity, we are doing a business deal.
 
The most raajasic form of charity is when we donate something with the feeling of “pariklishtam”. It means doing something reluctantly, unwillingly, with a heavy heart, with a feeling of sadness. We are so attached to the money or goods being donated that we cannot bear to see them separated from us. We will think hundred times before donating anything. What will happen if I donate this? How will I replace it? Will I need it again? Our mamatva, our sense of mine-ness is quite strong, and needs to be examined.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 17

10 Friday May 2013

Posted by in 17.20, anupakaarine, daanam, daatavyam, deeyate, deshe, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, kaale, paatre, saattvikam, smritam, tat

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daatavyamiti yaddaanam deeyatenupakaarine |
deshe kaale cha paatre cha taddaanam saattvikam smritam || 20 ||
 
That which is donated knowing that charity is duty, to whom one is not obliged, in the right place and time, to a worthy person, that charity is called saattvic.
 
daatavyam : charity is duty
iti : in this manner
yat : that
daanam : charity
deeyate : is donated
anupakaarine : to one without obligation
deshe : place
kaale : time
cha : and
paatre : person
cha : and
tat : that
daanam : charity
saattvikam : saattvic
smritam : is called
 
So far, Shri Krishna described the three types of food, sacrifice and penance. Food gives us energy to serve the world, to perform sacrifice. Penance enables us to conserve and channel that energy towards sacrifice. Sacrifice results in a result that is received by the recipient of the sacrifice as well as to us, the performers of the sacrifice. Accumulating results beyond what we need to support ourselves and our family can result in greed. To check this greed, we need to perform daanam or charity.
 
Now, even the attitude towards charity can reveal a lot about the texture of our faith. Shri Krishna described the characteristics or conditions of charity performed with a saattvic attitude. Conducting charity out of a sense of duty is the first condition. It should come naturally to us, and not because someone has asked us to do it. Charity should never be treated as a business deal. For instance, if someone has done us a favour, we should not give him something in the guise of charity. Furthermore, we should not donate something expecting something in return.
 
Charity is a sacred act, therefore it has to be performed thoughtfully. Tossing a coin to a beggar on the street may be a noble act, but it does not quality as an act of saattvic charity. It has to be done at the right place and during an auspicious occasion. It also has to be directed towards a worthy person. Shri Shankaraachaarya in his commentary gives the example of the occasion of Sankraanti, the beginning of the month, as an auspicious occasion. He also gives the example of a learned teacher as one who is worthy of receiving a charitable donation.